The present invention relates to track-laying vehicles, and more particularly, to a unique track block which is hingeable to other like blocks to form a continuous track strand for use in such a vehicle.
As is well known by those skilled in the art, track-laying vehicles are among those which are subjected to the severest kinds of environmental and operational punishment. Among the more highly abused structures in such a vehicle are the track stands which provide for ground-traveling support. In many vehicles of the type generally outlined, such strands are required to encounter successfully a huge variety of terrains which require that the blocks which make up the strands be capable of carrying extremely large ground-bearing forces, and be capable of exhibiting a high degree of articulation with respect to one another in order to negotiate unevenesses in terrain.
As is also well known in the art, a large variety of track block constructions has been proposed in the past to meet these and other objectives.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a unique track block construction which is relatively simple in construction, and which is capable of furnishing outstanding performance under circumstances like those just mentioned above.
While experience may show other convenient and economic ways of making the track block of the invention, the same is disclosed herein in the form of what will be referred to as a "fabricated" structure, wherein initially separated parts are joined through welding to form the final block structure.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a generally planar track block is proposed which is characterized by a single elongated unitary beam, with two diverging links extending radially, and in a common direction, from opposite ends of the beam. The links are constructed to straddle, and to be hinged to, the beam in an adjacent block, thus, and in a repefashion, to form an endless track strand. Cantilevered from a central portion of the beam, and extending generally in the same direction as and coplanar with the links, is a road-wheel bearing plate. The outer end of this plate is unsupported by any other structure, and more specifically, has no connection with the next adjacent block in a strand. This plate functions to transmit all received road-wheel bearing forces directly to the associated links in the block solely through the associated beam.
Various other objects and advantages which are attained by the invention will become more fully apparent as the description which now follows is read in conjunction with the accompaying drawings.